Learning to drive

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I am 12+1 with my first and considering learning to drive but, realistically, have I left it too late now to get it completed before baby arrives?
I live in London so have no real need to drive day to day but I can see the benefit of having the ability to do so when I have a baby in tow.
Am I better off to leave it at this stage and try to learn while on maternity leave or is that complete madness?

Have you done the theory? I passed at 32 weeks but had failed a few times () so had theory already passed. It takes swotting to pass!!

I would get started, why not? If you pass before baby arrives it will be a bonus and if not, it will be easier to take/retake your test when baby has arrived than to start from scratch then.

I started learning when I was pregnant. It was fine but I had to stop at around 32 weeks because I just couldn't sit comfortably concentrate for the 2 hour lessons. I'm only just getting back to lessons 2 years later.

If you can afford regular lessons there's no reason you can't start now though.

I'd say go for it! If you get too uncomfortable you could always take a break x

If you can afford a couple of 1 hour lessons a week, I would say go for it! :)

If your partner drives and has a car, I would recommend going out with them on top of your lessons too. I felt a lot more confident once I had a car to practice in with my parents :) trying to convince DH to take up lessons again at the moment 😂

Start to finish, I passed in 3 months

I started learning on maternity leave while my in-laws looked after DD1. It took me a while (and three attempts ) to pass - I eventually passed when I was 5 months pregnant with DD2. No harm in giving it a go, if you pass before the baby’s here then brilliant, if not then you can carry on learning on maternity leave (assuming you have some childcare) as it’s nice to do something for yourself that’s not about the baby!

Depends how fast you do it and how many lessons you can cram in. I’m 34 weeks and I already drive but it’s increasingly really difficult to fit behind the wheel, I’ve had to move my seat back and so I’m becoming uncomfortably far from the peddles. You can do it but I just advise that if you do, you do it quickly!

I had just started learning to drive when I found out I was expecting DS3. I passed before he was born.

Go for it! I was very lucky with my very patient female instructor, took lessons throughout my pregnancy until I was too bit to comfortably drive and postponed my test til after she was born (luckily as she arrived early on my test date) and I took my daughter on my catch up pre test driving lessons with me as I didn’t have anyone to help out and my instructor actually looked after her for me while I sat my test!

Do it. Much easier now than if you have to do it round child care. Really useful skill. My mum passed a week before I was born. I was 2 weeks late!

My husband learned and passed in 2 weeks. Granted he's a freelancer and did an intensive set of lessons but it's possible. Bunch your lessons together and try for your test as soon as you feel confident (and your instructor is, obviously!) Good luck!

I passed at 30 weeks, think I did the theory test around 12 weeks then booked intensive driving lessons - did three three-hour sessions a week for two months, I think? Used holiday from work to get it all done. So glad I did it when pregnant. Would probably still be unable to drive if I hadn’t!

One thing to think about: if you live in London and won't drive often, is it a skill you can keep up? After the test how often are you going to get in a car to practice? Will you even have a car? Are you honestly going to feel comfortable getting into a car for the first time 6 months after you pass your test and taking your new baby with you?

Do it now!!! I learned how to drive whilst pregnant with a toddler at home, and passed a couple weeks ago! Baby is 9 months. It was really bloody hard. Learning whilst pregnant with the first would’ve been a piece of piss by comparison.

Good luck!

Another voice saying go for it, while you don't need to worry about childcare etc.